Your Right to Know

Bowing to pressure from a federal judge, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted today rescinded his
order prohibiting the setting of voting hours in the last three days before the election and has
asked the court to stay its ruling until an appeal is complete.

U.S. District Judge Peter C. Economus this week ordered Husted to appear in court next week
to explain why he issued an order to all 88 county boards of elections that defied the judge’s
ruling clearing the way for weekend voting.

Husted today rescinded the order.

“The Court did not establish a date certain by which the Secretary must establish a uniform
schedule, and the three days in question were still nearly two months away, the Secretary believed
this was a reasonable and responsible course of action that was consistent with the Order,” Husted’s
office wrote in a motion filed today.

The motion added: “The Secretary intends to pursue his differences with this Court’s judgment
only through the expedited appeal process put in place by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. To
the extent that (the directive) could be read to imply any different compliance disposition, the
Secretary apologizes to the federal district court for creating that misimpression and has
rescinded (the directive).”

It was not immediately clear if Husted will still have to appear in federal court next week.

Economus previously sided with President Barack Obama’s campaign committee, which filed a
lawsuit seeking to reinstate early voting hours.